We truly understand that there are many groups doing outstanding service work, organizing, and general leadership development. However, our foundation has set different priorities. We don’t want to waste your time (or ours).

Please be clear that we want to fund groups that are developing class conscious leaders.

We will offer grants in the amount of $5,000 to $10,000.

Funding will be limited to organizations based in California.

You may submit more than one application for funding in the same cycle if you have different projects.

Our 2013 pilot / demonstration grantees emphasized how important it was to have the opportunity to collectivize their political education efforts so it will be a condition of any grant awarded that you meet with the other grantees within one month of the original grant award and once again (meetings to be organized by and among the grantees).

We will fund the political education component you wish to implement. We will not fund your “intent” to develop or research the possibility of an educational component but rather your specific plans to do it!

Some specific examples from our 2013 “pilot education grants”:

LA CAN (a group working in downtown LA on right to housing/anti gentrification issues) stated the purpose of the education we funded was
“to create a deeper understanding of income and wealth inequality, patriarchy and its role in capitalism, and other related topics driving the unequal, racist, and classist development of downtown LA and the resulting mass displacement and criminalization of the purported “underclass”.

Coalition for Educational Justice (CEJ) offered a curriculum with 4 cycles or units:

How do schools make sure you stay poor?

Why are there rich schools and poor schools? Are schools funded equally?

Is testing a plot by the school system to screw students in low income communities of color?

Are schools just training wheels for people of color to get into the prison system?

CEJ is the clearest example we can provide of what we mean by a “class based analysis” and what we will fund.

Criteria for Funding

Specific guidelines are set forth in the Letter of Inquiry posted on our website but in general the applicant organization must

Have a history of engaging in practical work

Have a specific concrete education plan that is based on a class analysis (how to think in relationship to your class position) and connects the practical work with the study.

State your view of the relationship between theory and practice

Demonstrate that the proposed project will be more than “leadership training” and “capacity building” and will in fact lead to the development of class consciousness

State:

WHO will be educated (not entire org membership – focus on the 1%)

HOW will they be educated - what is the CONTENT (syllabus must be attached to grant application)

WHEN will the education take place (start and finish dates, sessions, etc.)

Have defined OUTCOMES. We have also posted on our website the Final Report Form we will ask you to complete. Reviewing this BEFORE you apply for funding will give you an idea of what we are looking for and increase your chances of getting funded.

If you read everything on our website and still have questions about the application process, feel free to ask questions (see CONTACT US).